Twilight Trucking
by BlueBella1966
Summary: Preface The Cullens live in individual family homes. Carlisle and Esme own a large home on the outskirts of Malibu. He is a doctor at a local hospital and she is an author. Emmett and Rosalie own an upscale home in West Hollywood. He is a stunt man
1. Chapter 1

I do not own the characters, and no copyright infringement is intended. Stephenie Myer and the amazing Twilight franchise own them - I just enjoy writing amateur fiction using these amazing characters.

A/N: TA is a chain of truck stops in the United States. Some of the CB lingo carries mature meaning and, in later chapters this story does contain lemons. Hence, it is rated M.

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Preface

The Cullens live in individual family homes. Carlisle and Esme own a large home on the outskirts of Malibu. He is a doctor at a local hospital and she is an author.

Emmett and Rosalie own an upscale home in West Hollywood. He is a stunt man and she a wardrobe director for a major studio.

Jasper and Alice own a lavish home in Beverly Hills. Jasper is a screenwriter and Alice is a notable fashion designer.

Edward owns a penthouse just off of Wilshire Boulevard but he isn't home much since he took a job as a long haul truck driver.

Bella is a seventeen year old runaway, hitchhiking across the country.

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**EPOV**

Being a vampire and never needing to sleep is a definite advantage when you drive one of these rigs. Had you asked me even a decade ago if I would ever drive a truck for a living, I'd have laughed at such a preposterous idea but here I am, answering the latest message on my QualComm, the infernal, beeping keyboard attached to a small satellite dish that receives text messages from and sends them to my dispatcher.

I own my truck, a jet black Peterbilt with a twilight blue interior and plenty of chrome and lights on the outside, a true 'rooster cruiser, large car, chicken truck, rolling Christmas tree. Even sitting behind the wheel all day and well into the night, I never tire of the rumble of my 550 horse power Cummins engine and the thunderous tremble of the Jake brake releasing compression through my straight pipes, unmufflered exhaust pipes to the uninitiated.

'PU PNG STL 05:00 1-20-08. DEL WLMT BLWD 18:00 1-25-08.' the screen read. Good grief, a slow moving load, Saint Louis, Missouri to Bellwood, Pennsylvania and five entire days to drive eleven hours. I could legally drive that in one day and would need to waste the other four somehow.

"Breaker one nine?" I asked over my CB radio as I guided my rig onto Interstate seventy eastbound. "Hey Westbound, where'd you leave all the bears?"

"You got one at the ninety three and a full grown she bear working hard at the coops today." A gritty voice replied over the speaker.

"Ten four." I replied before turning my CB off and turning on the XM radio.

I use the CB to get the information I need but I refuse to listen to that infernal thing any more than necessary. Truck drivers seem unwilling to censure their thoughts through their speech when they talk on the radio; it's bad enough I have to hear every one of them in my head, I do not need them in my ears as well. Lot lizards, seat covers and naked co drivers are not things I care to know any more about than I know about the private activities of my family.

This is going to be a very boring trip, I need a distraction. I went hunting early this morning so I won't need to take any side trips between Saint Louis and Bellwood. I dropped my empty trailer in the drop lot then picked up my Bellwood load and headed back to the freeway. Three hours into my trip I decided it was cloudy and a run would feel good so, I pulled into an out of the way truck stop, locked my Pete and jogged into the woods until I was far enough away from humans to run for a few miles.

Running through the Indian scrubs, trees and fields was refreshing. I debated killing the large, corn fed buck I startled but decided he deserved to live one more year since I really wasn't thirsty and didn't want to slow my pace to hunt. Two hours later, I returned to my truck and turned my CB on out of boredom and to see if anyone was selling any useful electronics or freight overages.

"Are there any eastbound drivers out there willing to give a lady a ride?" a gravely male voice crackled over the radio. "She's trying to get to her family in Altoona, Pennsylvania." the man finished.

Altoona was only a few miles out of my route and I had plenty of time for the side trip. I picked up the mic and pressed the talk button. "I'll take the lady to Altoona, I'm headed for Bellwood anyway."

"Where you at driver?" the gravely voice responded.

"Back row, three from the south, black Pete." I replied.

"She's got brown hair and a blue duffle bag. She's on her way to you. Thanks driver." The gravely voice ended the conversation.

I waited a few minutes the, I saw her carefully making her way toward my truck. She had long brown hair and rich chocolate eyes and looked quite young to be hitchhiking. I looked young to be a truck driver but, I had a good reason, technically I was seventeen and had been for over eighty years. When she was close enough, I climbed down out of my truck and opened the passenger door for her. I helped her lift her duffle bag into my truck then climbed in to the driver's seat and tossed her bag into the sleeper. She scrambled into my passenger's seat, a seat no one had ever sat in before and, now I had a beautiful lady in my truck.

"Fasten your seatbelt and, if you smoke, not in my truck please." I instructed my passenger.

"I don't smoke." she informed me.

"I'm Edward. What's your name?"

"Bella and thanks for the ride."

"No problem, I'm an owner operator and pay my own insurance on the old girl so, riders aren't a problem." I informed her, hoping she would relax a little. "So you're going to your family in Altoona?"

"Actually no, I 'm going away from my family, anywhere as long as it isn't Seattle." Bella admitted.

I struggled to control my bloodlust. Her scent was the sweetest I had ever encountered and, I had foolishly agreed to take her to Altoona. Now she didn't have a destination at all, she seemed to have figured out that truckers would give her a ride and feed her and was, apparently, using our loneliness and willingness to accept a female companion to survive. I couldn't simply put her out at the next truck stop so, I had to control myself for at least three more days with her. I knew it wouldn't be easy but, I was determined that she would not know I was anything but human and I did appreciate her company.

"Then you won't mind a slow trip to Pennsylvania, I don't have to be there until Friday."

"No, I won't mind." Bella replied.

"How old are you Bella?" I asked, hoping she was eighteen, otherwise I was risking kidnapping charges if anyone found her in my truck.

"Seventeen but pleas don't turn me I, I can't go home. Please?" she pleaded, nearly crying.

So I was risking kidnapping charges, of course I could simply use my Cullen ID that said I was seventeen but, then that would leave me facing charges of stealing my own truck and countless driving offences. I had to find out why I was risking prison time, if her reason wasn't valid, I'd drop her off at the next weigh station.

"Why did you run away?" I asked calmly.

"Because my parents were killed in a car accident, the judge emancipated me but, I couldn't afford to keep the house. I stayed in the homeless shelter for a few weeks, that's where this guy tried to kill me and I ran. For some reason, he didn't chase me too far and I got away from him even though he was a…" she trailed off.

"He was what?" I asked, dreading some of the possibilities in the Seattle area.

"Nothing, you wouldn't believe me anyway." Bella answered.

"Try me, I might. I used to live in Forks years ago and, if I recall correctly, there was a shelter there." I encouraged her.

"I'm not even sure, but when I ran from the shelter, he chased me into the woods. I came to this huge white mansion and ran toward it, hoping somebody would be home. Nobody was there but I looked back an he had stopped at the edge of the yard. He was shaking, like he was really scared or angry then, and this is the weird part, he turned into a giant wolf and ran away. I know it's crazy but, that's what I saw." She hung her head, afraid I wouldn't believe her.

I knew all too well what she had encountered, filthy dogs. She's lucky she ran to our old home, our scent must have frightened the werewolf away.

"Damned filthy mongrels!" I spat.

"What, you believe me?" Bella asked in surprise.

"Of course I do, those werewolves nearly killed us, my family, a few years ago just because Jasper lost control ONCE! Fucking dogs, too volatile for their own good." I was angry and had probably said too much but it was too late to correct it now.

"I knew I saw him change…

"Phase, never refer to werewolves as changing, that word is for something else." I interrupted her.

Damn it, why couldn't I hold my tongue with her? Her scent was intoxicating but that was only part of it, I couldn't explain the rest of what I was feeling. I didn't know if I even wanted her blood anymore but I knew I wanted her right where she was, in my truck. I couldn't read her mind and that was a blessing and a curse. She was fast becoming the most fascinating thing in my world.

"What are your plans? You can't ride around with truck drivers forever, someone will hurt you eventually, not all of us are nice guys." I asked her, hoping to change the subject.

"I don't know, I don't have anywhere to go or any money. I just take each day as it comes and hope I survive and don't freeze to death that night." she replied, dejectedly.

"You can ride with me until you figure it out." I offered and immediately wonder where that came from. I had just invited my singer to live in the confines of my truck, with me for an indefinite period of time.

"Thank you Edward." Bella smiled.

If there was a heaven for me, my name falling form her lips was it. What was I thinking? I was still trying to sort through my confused feelings and strange desires and suddenly all I wanted was for Bella to say my name again. He stomach growled and, that reminded me that humans need food. She looked like she could use a shower too. I still had half a tank of diesel but, refueling would get us a free shower at the next truck stop so, I decided to fuel, take advantage of the free showers and, buy a meal for Bella.

"There's a TA at the next exit, I need fuel so we can get a shower and something to eat as well."

"I don't have any clean clothes left but a shower and food does sound good." Bella blushed as she spoke.

"The TA should have something, t shirts and jeans at least. Tomorrow we can stop at a Wal Mart and get you a few things." I answered, hoping she would accept my offer to buy clothes for her.

Bella didn't protest and quietly accepted the clothes I purchased for her as well as the food I offered her. I delivered my load on time then parked along the street and waited for my next assignment. Freight was slow and it was nearly two hours before my QualComm beeped. I read the assignment out loud for Bella to hear, translating the shorthand my dispatcher used into plain English.

"I've got a pick up in Pittsburgh in the morning and I have to deliver it in Van Nuys at five o'clock Monday morning. After that I'll be taking a week off at home. You're welcome to stay with me."

"Why not? I don't have anywhere else to be." Bella replied agreeably.


	2. Show and Tell

**EPOV**

"Bella, we need to talk tonight. Well I need to talk and you need to listen if you are going to stay on this truck and come home with me." I spoke softly, in a serious tone.

"I'm not going to like what you have to say am I?" Bella asked.

"I don't know but I need to show you some things as much as tell you and, I can't do that and drive so, please don't worry and let me get us safely to the Petro." I replied.

I dreaded what I had to do now and, Alice's vision had served only to confuse my emotions further. I rarely doubted Alice but, in this case I had every reason to doubt her. I didn't think I loved Bella, even if I did she was going to leave as soon as she found out I was a vampire so anything beyond that was a moot point.

"Don't worry about it, I already know you aren't human and you aren't a werewolf." Bella reassured me.

She knew I was different but not why. Maybe this would go better than I anticipated. Testing the waters a bit couldn't hurt at this point.

"Do you have any idea what I am if I'm not human?" I asked.

"Not really, if you were an angel or a superhero of some kind I don't think you'd be driving a truck; unless you're my guardian angel and this was the only way to protect me."

"No, I'm definitely not an angel or a hero." I chuckled.

"You're something, you don't eat, I've never seen you break a sweat, you smell like almonds, honey and musk but you don't wear cologne. Your eyes change from black to gold a few time per day and, you always have cold hands. Some of you might be human except even those things are too perfect to be human." She listed traits I hadn't realized she had noticed.

"You are very observant." I complimented Bella.

She knows far more than I thought. Maybe she will accept me, even as a vampire. I hope she does, especially if Alice's visions are right. I'm not sure I could even change her, I doubt I could stop in time but, the idea of spending eternity with her is appealing.

I pushed the accelerator to the floor and tuned my mind to listen for any law enforcement officers that would surely try to pull me over for traveling at over one hundred miles per hour on the turnpike. That constituted reckless driving and would cost me my CDL as well as heavy fines if I were caught. I slowed as we approached Allegheny tunnel, there was a DOT officer waiting in the median at the west end of the tunnel.

"Why are you slowing down? I like going fast." Bella smiled.

"DOT in the middle at the end of the tunnel, I don't want to lose my license." I explained.

Bella nodded and dozed off shortly. Once I passed the Dot officer, I floored my rig again. I was anxious to reach the Petro but I wasn't sure if it was because I dreaded or anticipated telling Bella everything.

In less than an hour, I had parked my rig at the Petro, unfortunately Bella was sound asleep and I didn't want to wake her so, I settled for reading and thinking until she decided to wake up.

Do I love Bella? I won't deny that is a possibility, Esme and Emmett were both human when Carlisle and Rosalie first encountered them and, they new they had found their mates. I want Bella to stay with me, I want to protect her, take care of her and, share my world with her. I enjoy talking with her and simple being quiet together. Is that love?

"Edward… hug… okay love." Bella muttered in her sleep.

Bella and her sleep talking settled my mind, I did love her. Hearing those words made my heart swell inexplicably. I instinctively knew that was exactly what I wanted to hear and, I wanted her to be awake when she said my name and love again. Knowing I really did want Bella in my life forever just made revealing my true nature to her all the more agonizing. She will run, I know that but, I hope not too far. I hope I can convince her that, despite her enticing, all too desirable scent, I am not going to hurt her. Now, more than ever, I wish I could read her mind. I would know how to present myself to her if I could hear her thoughts.

An hour later, Bella awoke and needed a human moment. I walked into the truck stop with her and pretended to read the various postings on the bulletin board while I waited for her to finish up in the ladies' room. I didn't trust the other driver's, some were decent, respectable men but many got an erection simply on seeing Bella. I knew she was fortunate to find me before a less gentlemanly driver had his way with her and left her broken or worse along some remote stretch of highway.

My mind wandered to what she may have done with other drivers and what they may have done to her, more questions I would have to ask since her mind was a blank slate to me. I prayed she had not been forced and that anything she may have done was willing. I also hoped that she wasn't so easy as to give herself up simply for a few hundred miles and a meal but, I knew most female hitchhikers that rode with truckers did just that. I resolved not to judge her or be disappointed if she had paid for rides with her body.

When Bella came out of the restroom, I offered to buy her a hot meal, she refused and settled on jerky, chips and, cokes that she could eat in our truck. I opened Bella's door for her then raced around the front of the truck and got in through my door. Not until I sat behind the wheel did it hit me that I had thought of my truck as "our" truck and the passenger's door as Bella's door.

"Bella, I don't know how to tell you what I am without frightening you." I began. "Bella, I'm a vampire. Most of what you've read or heard about us is just myth but, a few things are true." I waited for her reaction.

Bella was quiet, contemplating her reply for a few moments before she spoke. When she did speak, it wasn't the reaction I expected.

"That's okay, you drive this truck so, you can't be a monster like in the movies and books. I'll have to pay more attention to you if I want to figure out what a vampire really is." She spoke in a calm, matter of fact tone.

"You're not afraid of me now?" I asked, stunned.

"No, I wasn't afraid of you when I got in this truck and, I have never been afraid of you since. Why would I be afraid now just because I have a name for what you are?"

"I just told you I am an undead, blood drinking monster and you aren't afraid; fascinating. Before you get too comfortable, I should tell you that while I don't drink human blood, I am sorely tempted to do so, especially your blood. You are my singer, the one human who's scent appeals to me more than any other." I admitted, hoping she wouldn't run and praying she would.

"You won't hurt me, if you were going to do that, I wouldn't be sitting here talking to you now. Besides you already told me I could stay with you so, you like me. People don't hurt people they like." Bella's tone was confident, too confident.

"You do have a point and, you are right. I do like you and, I would never intentionally harm you but, my self control is not perfect. Even the best of us slip occasionally. You are not safe with me, one momentary lapse and, I would kill you." I decided to be direct and put it all on the line.

"I'll take my chances, if you will let me. If not, here is as good as anyplace for me to get out of your truck. Don't worry, I won't tell anyone about you, vampires, werewolves; who would believe me anyway?"

My mind reeled, she thought I didn't want her near me. This wasn't what I expected. I expected her to want to leave but, she didn't want to leave, she thought I wanted her to leave.

"Don't go, I enjoy your company and, I have so much to teach you, show you, share with you, if you can trust me." I pleaded, hoping I didn't sound too emotional.

"I want to learn about you, about vampire and, about the werewolf that tried to kill me." She smiled.

I stepped into the sleeper and lay down, sliding to the back of the bunk and making room for Bella to sit beside me. I hoped she really did trust me and, I hoped I could trust her, I hoped we could all trust her. I had broken the one law that, if the Volturi found out, would mean my immediate execution. Still I did intend to change Bella, someday, if she wanted to be my mate.

"Come sit with me." I patted the edge of the mattress.

Bella looked around seeming to read every label on the toggles and knobs on the dash and examine every light fixture in the truck. She eyed the bunk curtains warily then seemed satisfied that the blue vinyl drapes were still securely held by the nylon straps intended to keep them open. She stepped into the sleeper and sat tentatively on the edge of the bunk.

We talked, I explained the basics of what I am and allowed Bella to feel for herself that I didn't have a heartbeat. I told her everything I could and let her touch me as she needed to confirm some things about me. Finally Bella lay beside me on the bunk and fell asleep.

I smiled at the irony, I had let a human trap me. I couldn't get out of the bunk without waking her and, I wasn't about to do that, she looked so content and peaceful sleeping beside me. I traced my fingers through her soft brown hair. She was warm, quiet and somehow, just being with her like this was comforting. I lay there, lost in thought until 3:30, then I had no choice, I had to wake Bella if I wanted to pick up my load on time.

"Bella, wake up. I need toy get up - no rest for the wicked, I have to go pick up my load." I shook her gently as I spoke.

"Huh? Oh, sorry I guess I fell asleep." Bella replied sleepily.

Bella sat up and scooted to the foot of the bunk, allowing me to get out of the sleeper and into the driver's seat. Instead of getting up, Bella curled up on the bunk and fell asleep again. I chuckled when she rolled over and buried her face in the pillow I had been laying on, apparently she thought I smelled good too.

I pulled up to the guard shack at 5:15, and naturally, the guard was a complete ass, demanding to search my truck and put a drug sniffing dog in my cab.

"Bella, wake up, they need to search the cab to make sure we don't have any weapons or drugs in here." I chuckled, I was a walking lethal weapon; I had no need of any weapons beyond my body and, drugs would have had absolutely no effect on me. I knew Bella didn't have anything of that nature either, aside from the two soiled outfits she had brought with her, she had only what I had purchased for her.

"Ugh, it's too early. Edward, you're mean making me get up before daylight." Bella grumbled but climbed out of the bunk.

The guard asked us to step out of the truck while he and the dog searched the cab. Satisfied there was nothing worth finding inside, he directed me to the loading docks. I checked in with the shipping office only to be informed that I would have to drop my trailer in the door, park my tractor in the bobtail area then bring my keys to the office and wait in the driver's lounge while my trailer was loaded. Bella followed me into the driver's lounge, a small white walled room with a few tables and plastic chairs. A soda machine and the doors to the bathrooms were the only features along the walls. Three other drivers were already seated in the small room, presumably waiting for their trailers to be loaded.

"You two look pretty young to be a team." A middle aged man comment when Bella and I walked in.

"I'm twenty one, six months out of driving school, she's my girlfriend just along for the ride." I explained hoping Bella would play along.

"I saw you back in, how'd a kid like you rate a Pete like that?" the man asked.

"I own her, had to spend my inheritance on something useful." I smirked knowing I barely passed for twenty one.

"So you been riding long Miss?" The overly curious man asked Bella.

"A little while, long enough to be glad to get home Monday." She replied, playing along perfectly.

The driver seemed satisfied and went back to reading his magazine. Three hours later, my load was finally ready and we were back in the truck and headed for California.

"You'll have to tell me when you need a rest stop between fuel stops and pray we don't get pulled in at any scale houses; my logs book isn't going to be legal for long." I reminded Bella.

"I know we don't have a lot of time to get to L.A. I'll try to take my human moments while you fuel the truck." Bella said, agreeably. "I liked it when you told that other driver that I was your girlfriend." she smiled coyly.

Petro is a chain of truck stops.

Commercial Driver's License

Department Of Transportation - they enforce trucking regulation in the U.S.


	3. Pimp my truck HELP!

Were I not a vampire, my rig would have been careening into oncoming traffic. Bella disarmed me completely. Her smile hinted that she actually WANTED to be my girlfriend. I wanted her to be more than that but, being seventeen for nearly a century hadn't done one bit to improve my dating experiences. A ride along companion was one thing but now, it seemed Bella was ready for more. Was I?

"You did?" I asked feeling suddenly shy.

"Yeah, that was sweet. I mean you could have told him I was your sister or cousin or something but, you didn't." Bella answered, grinning.

"So, is that how I should introduce you to my family when we get home?" I asked, half afraid she'd offer another explanation.

"Only if that's what I am. I don't think we should lie to your family."

"No we shouldn't, they'd catch us if we did. You know I've never had a girlfriend before." I admitted in a light hearted tone.

"Never, how old are you?"

"Seventeen, have been since nineteen eighteen."

"That's a long time to be a teenager and not have a girlfriend."

"I never found the right girl, until now." I ventured.

"Why me? I'm nothing special." Bella asked.

"Bella, you are quite special. You aren't afraid of me and don't seem the least bit bothered that I'm not human. You treat me like a normal person. That alone make you special to me but, you're beautiful, intelligent, selfless, caring and so much more. How can you not see how special you truly are?"

"I've never had a boyfriend before either. No one ever wanted me like that." she admitted, blushing.

No boyfriends, as amazing as she is and no one wanted her? I think she didn't want them, didn't make herself available.

"Really? That surprises me."

"A few boys asked me out but, well I'm clumsy so I can't dance or anything, I don't like parties and I hate shopping. I guess I'm not really dating material." Bella blushed.

"I know you like to read and listen to music. Do you like picnics, walking along the beach and watching movies at home?" I asked, hoping she liked the things I enjoyed.

"I do and I like cooking, going to independent films and concerts in the park. I enjoy the opera and symphony, when I can afford those things and, if it's good, I like going to a play in the theater."

"I like all of those things too and, we can afford the concerts and theaters whenever we have time and want to see a show." I smiled.

"What will your family think of you being with a human?"

"They will be happy for us, except maybe Rosalie but, she has no room to talk. Emmett was human when she found him as was Esme when she and Carlisle first met. Alice and Jasper are the only two that met after they were changed."

"So vampires usually chose human partners?" Bella asked.

"No and both Emmett and Esme were changed, to save their lives, before hey had any idea we even existed, the same as I was."

"I can't imagine what that was like for you, waking up a vampire when you didn't even know they existed."

"In a word, hell. Being changed is enough to convince anyone they have died and literally gone to hell. One minute I was coughing up blood due to Spanish Influenza, certain I was going to die any moment. The next moment I did die and found myself burning it hell, form the inside. I always wondered how someone could burn forever and not be consumed by the fire; I found out - I lived it first hand." I shuddered with the memory of that pain.

"Will you change me into a vampire someday?"

Again, Bella sent my mind reeling. Yes I would, if she wanted to be my mate but it was far to soon for her to even be considering such a thing. She really had no idea what she was asking. Did she suspect what I felt for her was far more than a boyfriend would feel for his girlfriend? Did she feel the same way about me?

Curse my inability to read her mind, if I wanted to know, I'd have to ask her and bare my feelings entirely. I am not ready to risk that yet. Yes I am acting like a teenager with his first crush though this is far more. Bella simply cannot understand the intensity of vampire emotions, especially emotion I have never felt before.

"I don't know, maybe, if our relationship gets to that point and if you actually want me to change you. I will never force my existence on you, the choice will always be yours." I answered as honestly as I could.

"Well, if our relationship is going that far, I mean if you want me forever, I don't want to be older than you."

"Let's not rush things, you have a lot to learn about me and I have even more to learn about you. Not being able to read your thought make that incredibly difficult for me."

"Why? Just ask me and I'll tell you whatever you want to know." she offered almost too easily.

"Are you really emancipated or did you run away?" I asked, I had to know the truth.

"My parents really are dead but I ran away when Social Services tried to send me to my aunt in London. I don't want to move to a foreign country with someone I don't even know. You aren't going to turn me in are you?" Bella cringed at the idea of going to London.

"No, but I do need to call Jasper and have him get you proper identification before we do get stopped and some DOT officer wants to run your I.D." I reassured her then called my brother.

I tried to explain the situation to Jasper as best I could but Alice had his mind so full of her visions that the best I managed was making her Bella Masen, at least he gave up insisting that she become a Cullen immediately and, I had given my family time to prepare for my human companion.

"Sorry about that, Jasper thought you should be a Cullen. Alice seems convinced her visions are coming true." I chuckled knowing Bella had overheard my side of my conversation with Jasper.

"Alice sees us getting married?" Bella asked, startled.

"Yeah, but that can easily change depending on what decisions we make. I wouldn't make plans based on her visions just yet, we barely know each other." I cautioned.

We talked of our past, our relationship, my family and life in general until we past Columbus. Bella was tired and lay down in the bunk to take a nap. She didn't mind sleeping behind me which told me she really did trust me. One miscalculation or unforeseen careless driver around us and, an accident in my rig could kill her. I'd come close to wrecking a few times, never my fault but still, I had been forced to put my rig in the median three times in the last year.

The outbound weigh station in Ohio red lighted me, forcing me to stop on the scales. Luckily the officer only wanted to see my log book and not do a full DOT inspection. I couldn't afford that with Bella sleeping behind me. Soon, my log book wouldn't be any more legal than Bella was at the moment.

I prayed that neither New Mexico nor Arizona would stop me at the scales. Indian scales were under construction, Illinois never did anymore than weigh my wagon, Missouri would be closed by the time we passed those two station tonight. We'd cross Oklahoma on the turnpike as far as Oklahoma City and the scales at El Reno were easy enough to detour, if the happened to be open. Texas may as well not have weigh stations on I-40 for no more than that wide spot was actually used.

New Mexico probably wouldn't bother us, Arizona wouldn't as long as they didn't have anyone out in the booth but, it was a risk. California posed the greatest threat. I could take I-15, the best route and hope El Cajon didn't bother us or detour though Tehachapi which was more likely to be closed but would cost me an extra hour or more. I'd simply have to listen to the CB and see if El Cajon was open and what they were doing.

Bella wanted to stop at 'The Thing', a ridiculous tourist trap that was nothing more than a tiny museum and a gift shop. The THING itself was just a natural mummy, probably Native American. I did buy her a jar of cactus Jelly which she spat all over the dash when she tasted it. I laughed, apparently that stuff didn't taste any better than it smelled.

She paid me back for that by conning me into eating an extremely hot chili pepper. I lost all sense of smell for a couple of hours, during which she doused every possible surface in the samples of perfume and cologne she had collected from our various stops. Now my truck smelled worse than a French whore house and, I wasn't going to get that smell our before my family would be inside the cab.

When I stopped at Barstow to get my truck washed, Bella insisted I buy several packages of red and blue light bulbs for the interior lights. I didn't need any lights so, I obliged. By the time she finished changing the light bulbs and adding her feminine touches to the interior of my cab, I was cringing at the mental images of what my family would say and do when they saw my truck that evening. Bella, it seemed, had a wicked sense of humor about both of us being virgins and was determined to destroy that image, even though we hadn't actually done anything beyond light petting and kissing.

We spent Bella's waking hours talking and laughing more than I can ever remember laughing in my life. Somewhere between Flagstaff and Barstow, we realized we were in love and definitely wanted to take our relationship to the next level but not in the truck for our first time. Finally, I had the load of beer delivered to the distributor in Van Nuys and we headed for my home terminal to drop the trailer before bobtailing home.

"Now I'm nervous, I'll be meeting your family in a couple of hours." Bella voiced her concern as we pulled out of my terminal.

"They will like you. Esme will want to adopt you, she really is an amazing mother."

"I'm still scared."

"I would be too if I were going to be the only human in a small apartment with seven vampires. They won't hurt you, I won't let them, not that they would even try but, if something were to go wrong, I'd protect you."

I parked in the alley behind my penthouse. Bella and I gathered our dirty laundry and the other things we needed to take inside then I locked the doors and led Bella to the elevator. I carried most of the bags myself but Bella took the two lighter ones as we made our way to my, now our apartment. We placed the bags in their proper rooms and I gave Bella a tour of the apartment.

"The kitchen, living and dining are all one room. The sliding door opens to my balcony but make sure it's locked unless we're out there. Up here is the bath and laundry room." I explained as I led her upstairs. "This is my study, just a couch and books in here. Finally, the bedroom."

I opened the door revealing a large room carpeted in black. The furniture was all black lacquer and I had a red and gold comforter adorning my bed.

"Wow, nice for a guy that never sleeps." Bella remarked.

"I may not sleep but I do like to relax when I can. We'd better get cleaned up, my family will be here soon and I'd rather not smell like diesel fumes when they get here. I'm used to it but, Rosalie especially finds the smell offensive."

"What should I wear?" Bella asked as she examined the three clean outfits in her duffle bag.

"Anything is fine, we aren't going out or anything. They just like to see me when I'm home and they know I'd rather stay home when I can. Between driving and hunting, I get few evenings to simply relax."


	4. Alice's Whore House

**A/N: As you've noticed, Edward is not the brooding, depressed vampire S. M. created. He's a good guy and not into the raunchy conversations common o the CB radio but, he his a rather lonely single man. You'll see what happens when he lets his hair down, so to speak, for a while in this and coming chapters.**

**__________________________________________________**

I let Bella shower first, if she needed all of the hot water, I didn't mind and, I certainly wouldn't leave her with a cold shower. Actually that wasn't a bad idea at the moment. Maybe it was just a mild case of white line fever, I had pushed hard to get that load to Van Nuys on time. Whatever it was, I couldn't help imagining what I would do with Bella in that shower.

I also couldn't help feeling a bit like a pervert. I was posing as a 21 year old and she really was underage, jail bait, if she ever decided to run and wanted revenge. All she would have to do is report me. One rule you learn as a truck driver; when it comes to the law, the trucker is always in the wrong, even if it was the other guy's fault. That ticked I had to pay last month when a drunk in a BMW rear-ended me was proof of that. He claimed that I had rolled back and hit him when the light changed; I hadn't, but trucks do have a roll back problem if the driver isn't careful so, I had to shell out for the fine.

Bella emerged from the bathroom wearing black jeans and a dark blue t-shirt that had a picture of a truck and a wolf on it and read 'Leader of the Pack' I had to chuckle at the werewolf innuendo that shirt was sure to garner from Emmett. I quickly showered and dressed in faded jeans and a drab olive t-shirt that read 'New day, same shirt.' One of my many "I am not going out dressed like this" messages to Alice who loved to coax me off to the latest trendy night club.

"Come in Alice and tell Jasper it's fine, Bella isn't going to freak out over his scars." I called, hearing their thoughts outside my door.

Bella shook hands with Jasper and allowed Alice to hug her a bit too exuberantly.

"OW!" Bella exclaimed as Alice bounced with her in her arms.

"Don't break my seat cover." I chided my sister.

"I'm glad to meet you too Alice, and Jasper of course. Edward has told me a lot about you." Bella smiled.

Before Alice and Jasper could sit down, the rest of my family arrived. Carlisle and Esme had picked up Rosalie on the way over and, Emmett had taken a cab straight from the studio to my apartment.

"Emmett, go shower. You smell worse than my truck. How many damned times did you have to fall into that manure pit anyway?" I ordered my brother, reading, fro his mind, that he had been shooting a stunt for a western involving a large pit filled with cow dung.

"I did shower, at the studio, that shit won't wear off for a day or two. Sorry Rosie." Emmett gave his wife the worst puppy dog eyes I had ever seen.

"I saw what Bella did to your truck. I like it, now it looks better inside." Alice chirped.

"Yeah, remind me NEVER to fall for that hot pepper trick again. It might look better but it smells like a French whore house. I can't get the perfume samples out of the velvet upholstery." I winced at the mental images my family bombarded me with.

_Oh Man, Prudeward with that many lot lizards in his truck. Have a good fuck there bro? _

"One, Emmett." I growled in warning.

"Easy, I was just thinking." Emmett surrendered too easily. I would have enjoyed throwing him off of my balcony.

"Two, Emmett," I warned my brother. "Besides, how would you know if I have had a lizard in my truck? They do make good snacks; after you take advantage of their twenty dollar mouths of course." I fired back, even though I had never done such a thing; Emmett didn't know that.

Alice bounced out the door, heading downstairs to clean my truck for me as she always did when I came home. I waited the few moments it took for her to get in my truck, dive out of it and race back to the apartment.

"It's worse than my visions! Edward that isn't a truck; it's a rolling whore house!." She roared in laughter.


	5. truths and Blue Lights

Bella blushed furiously and tried to hide behind me. I pulled her to me side as I joined in the laughter. "Bella, it's fine, I need to change my image anyway and, I have my own seat cover now. A very beautiful seat cover I might add."

"I do like the softer lighting, I don't feel like I'm bothering you a much when I have to turn on a light while you're driving." Bella explained the red and blue bulbs.

"The colored bulbs do help, I can't see the red light at all and, the blue doesn't cause as much glare on the glass as the bright, white bulbs do." I confirmed.

"You can't see the red light?" She asked.

"No, I can see the red bulbs but, because of my animalistic nature, the light they emit is invisible to me. I see the color red, except that specific frequency, shade, whatever." I explained.

"Oh, well then I'll have to change all of the lights to red." Bella smiled, happy with her idea for making life easier for me.

"Whatever you want. I'm just happy you want to be with me." I smiled; my world would never be the same again. "Alice, Bella needs some clothes and food. Would you mind going shopping for her?"

"You know I'd love to. I'll be back in a couple of hours with everything she needs." Alice chirped as she pulled Jasper out the door with her.

"She loves to shop." I offered as an explanation.

"Jasper asked me to give you this, Bella, I added the credit card, you may need it traveling around the country with Edward." Carlisle stated as he handed Bella a manila envelope that contained her new ID.

We spoke casually for the rest of the day. My family took the time to get to know Bella a bit better and, Esme made a wonderful dinner for her, much to Esme's delight. She liked taking care of people and, since she couldn't feed us, feeding Bella was something she enjoyed more than she probably should have. I smiled, glad my family accepted Bella, for the most part.

Esme thought she was beautiful but deserved better than living with me on the road. She was right, but that would change in time. For now I needed to keep my current façade in place. Bella didn't mind riding with me and, it did give us plenty of time to get to know each other.

Alice already saw Bella as her sister and as one of us. I was certain that, someday, I would change Bella. I didn't want to do it too soon, she had a hard life and, I wanted her to enjoy a few good human experiences first.

Carlisle liked her well enough and was looking forward to gaining a daughter and balancing our family. I rather liked the idea of having a mate as well.

Jasper found Bella to be quite brave and stronger, emotionally, than she looked. I agreed, she was brave and resilient. I admired those qualities.

Rosalie was jealous of Bella's humanity. I understood that; Bella could still have the life Rosalie was so viciously denied. Bella never would have that life, but Rosalie didn't know that. I just hoped Bella would want the life I had to offer once she really understood what that life would be like.

Finally, my family realized they were keeping Bella awake and left with promises of activities and request that we visit them during the week that we would be home. Bella was most excited to join Emmett for a private tour of the studio he was currently working in, I hated the idea since fans generally mistook me for an actor and tried to follow me home, but I'd go along if that's what Bella wanted to do.

I decided to head out into the foothills for a run and maybe a little hunting. I didn't get the opportunity to simply run for the pleasure of it on the road. I had schedules to keep and, often the sun kept me in my truck for days on end. I let my mind wander as I ran through the scrub brush and leapt the washed out canyons in the hills north of the basin.

_My family took that well. I was concerned they might not approve of me wanting a human companion. Some of our kind keep human pets from time to time, but Bella is not my pet, not in that way. She is, or soon will be my mate and, I want her to stay human for a while. I really should marry her, but that isn't as important to me as it once was. _

_Trucking really had helped get my mind into the modern morality, to a point. I'd never hire a lot lizard, though they are amusing to toy with on the CB. I love letting them think I want them only to snarl at them when the do finally find my truck. Somehow, a skank trying to run in heels through a pot hole filled parking lot, only to run smack into a security guard or police officer is incredibly amusing._

_Forever with Bella, that's something I never imagined I'd find. I always assumed that Esme was correct when she thought Carlisle had changed me too young. Now I don't know; Bella has certainly awakened things in myself that I thought I would never feel. I just hope she really was honest when she told me her parents were dead._

_I'd hate to be implicated in a kidnapping case. I need to talk to Jenks personally and see if he found anything on her. Even if she has a family, I won't send her away; I can't. I just need to know what the possibilities are so that I can be prepared, if something does happen._

I ran home and called Jenks. I learned, much to my dismay that Bella's parents were not dead. He mother lived with her step father in Florida. Bella was supposed to be living with her father in Forks, Washington, but was listed as missing for the last seven months. The worst was that her father was not only the police chief in Forks, but a certified DOT officer and, he frequently manned the weigh station outside of Seattle, one I frequently passed with produce bound for the port. I needed to know why Bella had run away, or ended up missing. I confronted her the next morning.

"Bella, I spoke with a friend last night; he gave me some very interesting information about your parents." I informed her as she ate a bowl of cereal. "You lied to me again and, I need the truth NOW!"

"Jacob Black almost killed me. I swear, I didn't know what he was when I punched him for trying to kiss me. He got mad and phased, as he called it, turned into a giant wolf. He attacked me and left me for dead.

I woke up in a truck and didn't even know who I was. By the time I remembered, I knew my parent thought I was dead and, I liked not having to answer to them. I know that was stupid and childish, but I decided I didn't want to be found. I don't want to go home. I hate my step dad and I can't go back to Forks and chance seeing Jacob again. He thinks he killed me and he might if he knew I was alive." She finally told me the truth. I knew of the Blacks and of the werewolves that some of the Quileute were.

"I do run the Olympic peninsula often so, we'll have to be very careful when we have to go to Seattle or Port Angeles.

If Jacob weren't one of those vile mutts, I'd return you to your father and see that Jacob spent the rest of his life in prison. He is and, my family has a long standing treaty with the Quileute pack so, I can't risk that by having one of them arrested. That could lead to a war that none of us needs.

Besides, even if I wanted to, I don't think I could send you away now so, we'll have to be careful not to get me arrested for kidnapping or harboring a runaway." I informed my little runaway lamb, wonder what sort of masochistic lion I was for letting myself love the girl.

"Good because I don't want to leave you." Bella said with certainty.

"Now, I do believe we have a studio to visit today since it's going to be overcast all morning." I smiled, trying to reassure Bella that she was staying despite the complications.

We spent Tuesday morning at the studio with Bella and Emmett laughing and me dodging would be fans. Wednesday was sunny so, we waited until late evening to go clubbing, another of Bella's ideas. Thursday was sunny here but cloudy in San Diego so I took her to the safari park. She called it a vampire buffet and wondered how I kept from eating the animals. Friday, we loaded what we needed back into the truck and watched classic movies. Saturday morning we picked up my trailer and headed for Seattle with a load of strawberries.

The trip was going well, too well; I hadn't been stopped at one weigh station, no DOT had ambushed me from the median and, I hadn't even been delayed with traffic or road construction. Only one more weigh station, the one that Bella's father manned, if it happened to be open. I turned on the CB and keyed the mic.

"Breaker one-nine. Hey westbound, what are the eastbound coops doing?" I asked anyone who might be listening.

"They're doing the deal, wide open and working hard." Came the reply.

Wonderful, the one weigh station I didn't need to be in at all was open and inspecting trucks. This was not good, I hoped that it would be some other officer. As we neared the scales, the officer's thoughts confirmed his identity, Chief Charles Swan. Damn, fuck, shit, I had his missing daughter in my truck and we were about to be forced into a full DOT inspection.

"Bella, get in the bunk, close the curtains and, act like your sleeping. Your father is going to inspect the truck. Cover up as much as you can, he will have to look in the cab to watch the gauge when he tests the low air indicator." I ordered my passenger.

"Putnam 1099, pull it around back." Chief Swan's voice crackled over the PA as he halted my truck on the scales.

Thankfully he didn't search the cab during the inspection. I had to go inside the small building to sign the warning ticket for a missing mud flap and let him review my log book. Posted predominantly on the wall behind him was a missing children poster that featured Bella. Chief Swan caught me looking a bit too attentively at the poster.

"You recognize that girl, driver?" He asked as he checked my log book.

"No, she's pretty is all. It's a shame she hasn't been found." I explained to his satisfaction.

"That's my daughter. She was visiting a friend in La Push and just never came home." Chief Swan informed me, which I already knew and, I knew why she never came home.

I didn't reply and signed the warning ticket, gathered my paperwork and retreated to my truck. I pulled out of the weigh station as fast as my truck would let me got through the gears. Bella climbed back into her seat sooner than I wanted her there and, as luck would have it, Chief Swan saw her as we passed the building. I prayed he wouldn't recognize her, but I was disappointed. I heard it in his thoughts and, before I reached the end of the on-ramp, blue lights were flashing in my rearview mirror. I pulled my rig to the shoulder and waited for the inevitable.


	6. Killing Time

"Bella! Get in the closet NOW!" I yelled.

Bella dove out of her seat and into the closet before her father could reach my door. Thank goodness for fifty three foot trailers. I knew I'd have to use every vampire trick in the book to convince him that he had not seen anyone else in my truck.

"Yes Officer Swan, did I forget something in the scale house?" I asked innocently.

"No, who's your passenger?" he asked sternly.

"Passenger? I don't have a passenger, or a co-driver for that matter." I smiled my most charming smile as I turned the heater vent to send more of my scent his direction.

"I saw a female that looked very much like my daughter, in your truck, as you pulled off the scales." Charlie insisted, looking slightly dazed already.

"Maybe it was a reflection, I do have one of the missing posters you had for the taking on the dash." I smiled and lifted the poster I had taken as a memento. "I thought I'd make a few copies and post it next time I get a run back east. I know if she were mine, I'd want her with me." I half lied. She was mine and she was with me but he didn't need to know that.

"I guess, thank you driver. More posters will help me find my daughter." Charlie agreed and stepped off of my truck then headed back to his cruiser.

Once I knew we were safe, I told Bella that she could get back in her seat.

"Next time I tell you to hide, stay hidden until I tell you to come out. I had to charm the hell out of him to get us out of that one and, he still isn't entirely convinced he didn't see you." I admonished.

"I'm sorry, I thought it was safe when the truck started moving again." Bella apologized.

"It's fine, we just can't afford another close call like that." I assured her.

I made my delivery in Seattle and had to charm the receiving clerk into taking the nearly rotten strawberries. The bottom of a few boxes were damp and, I knew that by morning, those berries would be covered in white fuzz. Shipper weren't allowed to use ammonia to retard spoilage anymore, so strawberries were very temperamental freight. Too cold and they wouldn't ripen enough during transport, too warm, or too ripe when they were loaded, and you got fuzzy fruit. In this case, the thirty minute delay at the scales combined with the added human stops for Bella nearly ruined that load.

My next load was asparagus, headed for Jacksonville, Florida. I picked up the load and decided to waste a few hours at the Flying J to insure Charlie would not be manning the weigh station when we had to pass it on the way out of Seattle.

"Okay Bella, enough wasting money on video games. You've fed that thing fifty dollars." I chided.

"Aw, just once more, I know I can drive this thing if I can just remember when to shift." Bella begged.

"Come on, I'll teach you to drive a real truck when we have time. That thing is harder to handle than my rig." I smiled as I led her back to the truck in the parking lot.

"Really, you think I could drive a truck?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, with practice, but we'll start in a very safe, very large, very empty lot." I smiled nervously. Was I actually going to let Bella drive my three hundred thousand dollar rig?

Yes, she would learn to drive it, not that she'd be able to do so legally for several more years, but then I was never one for strict adherence to laws anyway and, it would be nice to relax for a while and let Bella drive. That would have to wait until the next time we were home and, I could ask Alice to watch and warn me if Bella was about to wreck my truck.

My QualCom beeped, indicating dispatch had sent me a message. 'WHO IS PASSENGER? WA DOT CALLED - ASSUMES SHE IS RUNAWAY. CALL BRAD ASAP.' Shit, Charlie was not giving up as easily as I thought he had. I called the owner and safety manager of the company I was leased on with.

"Brad… yes I do have a passenger, my girlfriend, Bella Masen… No, she's eighteen and definitely not a runaway… The DOT officer saw a weird reflection off the poster I took so that I could post it farther east, I guess he still thinks I have his daughter in my truck. I can understand that, I'd be frantic too, in his place… yeah, just grasping at straws… no problem, Brad." I smiled and ended the call.

_I may be in over my head, now my company suspects I'm harboring a runaway and, they know she's the daughter of a DOT officer. I may have to ask Carlisle to stage her death and provide a body. _

_Jasper will hate that if there isn't one in the morgue, he's the only one besides me that could bring himself to kill a human in cold blood. He'd have to kill the surrogate soon, she's been gone too long for a fresh body to be believable. I'll give it a week, if things don't simmer down, we'll have to kill Bella, figuratively speaking._


End file.
